Tobacco-manipulating machines



May 1, 1962 Filed Dec. 16, 1957 R. LANORE 3,032,041

TOBACCO-MANIPULATING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 KR N ix /NVE/V OR 5) y la filow/s A 7' TOP/VEKS May 1, 1962 R. LANORE, 3,032,041

TOBACCO-MANIPULATING MACHINES Filed Dec. 16, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May1, 1962 R. LANORE TOBACCO-MANIPULATING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledDec. 16, 1957 //VVE/V7'OQ W W B) 7% I ATTO'QIVEY United States Patent U3,032,041 TOBACCO-MANIPULATING MACHINES Raymond Lanore, Paris, France,assignor to Usines Decoufl S.A., Paris, France, a French company FiledDec. 16, 1957, Ser. No. 702,905 Claims priority, application France Jan.10, 1957 13 Claims. (Cl. 131-61) This invention concerns improvements inor relating to tobacco-manipulating machines (for example continuous rodcigarette-making machines) in which a continuous tobacco filler isformed, which filler (for example after being enclosed in a paperWrapper) is to be cut at intervals to form individual tobacco articlessuch as cigarettes.

It is sometimes desired to form a tobacco filler in which the tobacco isdenser at parts where it is to be out than at other parts along itslength, in order that the tobacco articles formed by cutting the fillermay be more densely filled with tobacco at their end portions than atother parts.

It is usual to form a tobacco filler from a relatively loose stream oftobacco, which is compressed laterally so as to give it a reduced anduniform cross-sectional size. Thus if there is more tobacco at someparts of the stream than at others, the compressed filler will havecorresponding parts of greater and less density, and accordingly, oneknown way of forming such a filler is to add increments of tobacco atsuitable intervals along the stream.

According to the present invention there is provided a method of forminga tobacco filler which has more tobacco at desired portions than atothers, which comprises the steps of forming a tobacco stream, andremoving tobacco from the stream in such a way as to leave more tobaccoat the said desired portions than at others. The stream thereafter maybe subjected to lateral compression to form a filler of substantiallyconstant cross-sectional size.

Further according to the invention there is provided a method of forminga tobacco filler which is denser at desired portions than at others,which comprises the steps of supplying tobacco to a travelling surfacein sufficient quantity to form a stream whose average depth is greaterthan required, removing tobacco so as to reduce the average depth of thestream to a desired extent, in such a way that the depth at the saiddesired portions is greater than at other portions, and laterallycompressing the stream to substantially constant cross-sectional size.For example, the depth of the stream may be reduced along the whole ofits length but by a smaller amount at the said desired portions thanelsewhere.

Further according to the invention there is provided, in atobacco-manipulating machine, means for forming a tobacco filler whichhas more tobacco at desired portions than at others, comprising means toform a tobacco stream on a travelling surface, and a trimming devicearranged to remove surplus tobacco from the stream in such a way as toleave more tobacco at the said desired portions than at others. Meansmay be provided to compress the stream after such a trimming tosubstantially constant crosssectional size.

The said trimming device may comprise a pair of rotatable discs to whichengage the stream from opposite sides so as to co-operate to determinethe depth to which the stream is trimmed, the said discs having recessedparts which co-operate to allow the stream to retain a greater depth oftobacco at the said desired portions than at others.

The said discs may have co-operating edges which closely approach eachother to separate surplus tobacco from the stream, the said recessedparts having similarly co-operating edges which are a greater distancefrom the said travelling surface than are the edges of the other partsof the discs.

The trimming device may further comprise a member verse walls 3, 4 of adischarge hopper.

trimming zone.

(e.g. a rotating brush) arranged to engage and sweep away surplustobacco separated from the stream by the edges of the discs and of therecessed parts.

Apparatus in accordance with the invention will now be described by wayof example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic longitudinal section showing the upper orfeed portion of a cigarette-making machine in which a tobacco filler isformed;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal section showing diagrammatically, on a largerscale, a stream of tobacco as orig inally formed;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of a trimming device, and

FIGURE 4 is a vertical section taken upon the line IVIV of FIG. 3.

Referring to FIGURE 1, tobacco is fed by a distributor 1 on to anendless belt conveyor 2 between the trans- The stream of tobacco travelson the band 2 towards the cigarette-rodfor-ming mechanism.

The stream of tobacco formed on the conveyor 2 is uneven in height,being characterised by alternating troughs and crests, and itslongitudinal section is shown diagrammatically in FIGURE 2, in which theunevenness of its height is considerably exaggerated. I

The stream of tobacco contains moretobacco than required for makingcigarettes having the desired average weight, and the excess tobacco istrimmed olf at the region indicated by the reference 5. This trimmingstep consists in separating and moving away from the stream any tobaccoabove the level 11 (FIG. 2), in those portions of the stream where it isdesired to have a normal density of the filler, and above the level hlin the portions where a greater tobacco density is desired. Theselast-mentioned portions are normally spaced from one another by adistance 1 (FIG. 2) equal to the length of one cigarette, so that ineach cigarette the tobacco will be somewhat denser at both ends.However, if it is desired to increase the density of the tobacco at onlyone end of the cigarette the thicker portions may be spaced apart by adistance equal to two cigarettelengths.

As a rule, the high-density portions have a density 10% higher than thenormal density of the other portions of the roll; this result isobtained by simply having h1=l.l h. The length of these thicker portionsis usually about In the embodiment described herein this height h isabout A" and therefore the height 111 is about or nearly The stream oftobacco is carried along by the travelling band 2 moving in a horizontalchannel 6, FIGURES 3 and 4, and having its edges 7 guided and held byside plates 8. The initial portion of this channel is tapered tocompress the tobacco therein, and the next portion has its edgesparallel and spaced about apart in the The trimming device forseparating and discharging the excess tobacco comprises two horizontalrotary discs 9, having chamfered edges, and rotating in oppositedirections as shown by the arrows in FIG. 3. The linear velocity of theouter edges of these discs is about 15% higher than the linear velocityof the stream of tobacco. These outer edges, although shown in thedrawings as apparently in contact, are separated at their nearest pointsby a gap which may be between .004" and .008". A cylindrical rotarybrush 10, about A" thick, overlies the discs 9 and is mounted in a shaft11 rotatably driven at high speed and set at an angle with respect tothe direction of flow of the tobacco, as shown. brush is positioned inthe zone where the discs are nearest to each other and brushes againstthe upper surfaces of the discs at that zone, thereby engaging andremoving surplus tobacco which is above the discs and completing theseparation of that tobacco from the tobacco beneath This 3 the discs.The tobacco thus removed is driven by the brush between the walls 12 and13 Which guide it on to a travelling band (not shown) by which theexcess tobacco is returned to the distributor.

The discs 9 rotate at a velocity in revolutions per minute which isequal to one-fourth of the number of cigarettes produced per minute. Theouter peripheral parts of the discs are not at a uniform level but areformed with four raised portions 14, whose under-surfaces are recessedas shown in FIG. 4, They are spaced 90 apart and have raised edgessituated -.08 above the level of the remaining portions of the discsth'er'ebetween. The two discs are so disposed that as they rotate,successive pairs of raised portions 14 register with one another asshown in FIGURE 3. These raised portions are bounded by straight edges19 set at suitable angles relative to radii terminating at the outerperipheral edges of the disc. These angles are suitably chosen so thatwhen two raised or recessed portions 14 register with each other, theirleading edges 19 are momcntaiily in line with each other as shown inFIGURE 3. l

The raised or recessed portions 14 thus pass over the stream of tobaccoat intervals each corresponding to one cigarette-length. Moreover, whentwo portions 14 register with each other on the line IV-IV of FIGURE 3they are directed as shown with their leading edges substantiallyparallel to the plane of the rotary brush 10.

-Since the discs 9, with their recessed portions 14, co-

operate to determine the depth to which the stream is trimmed, and sincethe edges of the portions 14 are at a greater distance from'the lowerpart of the band 2 than are the edges of the other parts of the discs,it will be seen that the recessed portions 14 allow the stream to retaina greater depth of tobacco than do the remaining parts of the discs.

This brush 10 is so adjusted as to be substantially flush with the lowerportions of the upper faces of the discs 9. When the raised portions 14move beneath the brush 10 the bristles of the brush are slightly bent,see FIGURE 4, and the excess tobacco is removed from these raisedportions without difiiculty.

Thus the stream of tobacco in its subsequent travel on the band 2 has atthe desired spaced intervals portions containing a greater quantity oftobacco than the remaining zones located therebetween.

This stream of tobacco is subsequently caused to "pass under a'wheel 15which compresses it laterally and forms a tobacco filler of uniformcross-sectional size in which the tobacco at the said desired portionsis denser than at others.

This rod is then delivered on to a paper web 16 passing over a smallroller 17 on to an endless band 18 by which the paper Web supporting thefiller of tobacco is carried along through the actual rod-formingmechanism. The cigarette rod so formed is then separated into individualcigarettes by cutting through the denser portions.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a tobacco-manipulating machine, apparatus for forming a tobaccofiller having denser portions at predetermined spaced positions thanelsewhere, comprising means to form a tobacco stream, trimming means toremove tobacco bodily from the stream and to reduce the total quantityof tobacco in the stream while leaving more tobacco at said spacedpositions than therebetween, and compressor-means acting on the streamto subject tobacco in the stream to lateral compression and to effectgreater compression on tobacco at said spaced positions than on tobaccotherebetween, the said trimming means and the said compressor-meanscooperating to reduce the stream to a substantially uniformcross-sectional size while leaving a greater and more compressedquantity 'of tobacco at the said spaced positions than elsewhere.

2. In a tobacco-manipulating machine, apparatus for forming a continuoustobacco filler having denser portions .at predetermined spaced positionsalong its length than between said positions, comprising means to form amoving stream of tobacco containing more tobacco than is required in thefiller to be produced, conveyor-means to convey said stream endwise, atrimming device adjacent the stream and operative thereon to removebodily excess tobacco therefrom, so as permanently to reduce the totalquantity of tobacco contained in the stream to the quantity required inthe filler, and compressormeans operative on the tobacco stream to applylateral pressure to tobacco therein, the said trimming device beingarranged to reduce the whole of those portions of the stream Which occurbetween the said spaced positions, to a smaller quantity of tobacco perunit length than that to which it reduces those portions which occur atthe said spaced positions, and the said compressor-means being arrangedto eifect a greater lateral compression and densification of tobacco inthe said portions occurring at said spaced positions than in portionoccurring between said spaced positions, the trimming device andcompressor-means thereby cooperating to reduce the stream to a filler ofsubstantially uniform cross-sectional size but having more tobacco atthe said spaced positions than elsewhere.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the said trimming devicecomprises tobacco-removing means 0perative at a predetermined distancefrom the conveyor means to remove, from portions of the stream occurringbetween the said spaced positions, all tobacco extending beyond saidpredetermined distance from the conveyor means, and operative at agreater distance from the conveyor means to remove, from portions of thetobacco stream occurring at said spaced positions, only that tobaccowhich extends beyond said greater distance from the conveyor means.

4. In a tobacco-manipulating machine, apparatus for forming a continuoustobacco filler having denser portions at predetermined intervalsalternating with less denseportions, comprising means to form a movingstream of tobacco containing an excess of tobacco along substantiallyits whole length, and a tobacco-removing device adjacent the path ofsaid stream and arranged to reduce the total quantity of tobacco in thestream by removing tobacco bodily therefrom, the said tobacco-removingdevice comprising means operative on selected portions of the stream,spaced apart along the length of the stream, to reduce permanently thequantity of tobacco per unit length of said portions substantially to apredetermined uniform quantity, and operative on all other portions ofthe stream, located between said selected portions, to allow the saidother portions to retain a greater quantity of tobacco per unit lengththan the said predetermined uniform quantity.

5. In a tobacco-manipulating machine, apparatus for forming a continuoustobacco filler having denser portions at predetermined intervalsalternating with less dense portions, comprising means to form a movingstream of tobacco containing an excess of tobacco along substantiallythe whole of its length, a tobacco-removing device adjacent the path ofsaid stream and operative on the stream to reduce permanently the totalquantity of tobacco contained therein by removing tobacco bodily fromthe stream, and compressor-means operative on the stream to applylateral pressure to tobacco therein, the said tobacco-removing devicebeing operative on selected portions of the stream, spaced apart alongthe length of the stream, to reduce permanently the quantity of tobaccoper unit length of said portions substantially to a predetermineduniform quantity smaller than the quantity of tobacco per unit length ofall other portions of the stream occurring between said selectedportions, the said compressor-means being operative to efiect a greaterlateral compression and densification of tobacco in said other portionsthan of tobacco in said selected portions,

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the said trimming devicecomprises a pair of rotatable discs, said discs having co-operating edgeportions which closely approach each other to engage the stream fromopposite sides to separate surplus tobacco from the stream, and therebydetermine the depth to which the stream is trimmed, said discs havingrecessed parts having similarly co-operating edge portions which are agreater distance from the said conveyor means than are the edge portionsof the other parts of the discs.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, comprising a rotating brush-likemember arranged to engage and sweep away surplus tobacco separated fromthe stream by the edges of the discs and of the recessed parts, saidmember having yielding tobacco-engaging elements which yield whenpassing over the said recessed parts.

8. A continuous rod cigarette making machine having means to feed acigarette paper web lengthwise, and comprising means to form a stream oftobacco, a tobacco removing device adjacent the path of the stream andarranged to reduce the total quantity of tobacco in the stream byremoving tobacco bodily therefrom, the said tobacco removing devicecomprising means operative on selected portions of the stream, spacedapart along the length of the stream, to reduce the quantity to tobaccoper unit length of said portions substantially to a predeterminedquantity, and operative on all other portions of the stream, locatedbetween said selected portions, to allow the said other portions toretain a greater quantity of tobacco per unit length than the saidpredetermined quantity, thereby producing a tobacco filler havingportions containing greater quantities of tobacco per unit lengthalternating with portions containing smaller quantities of tobacco perunit length, and means to forward the said filler onto the paper web forenclosure therein.

9. A continuous rod cigarette making machine having means to feed acigarette paper web lengthwise, and comprising means to form a movingstream of tobacco, a tobacco removing device adjacent the path of saidstream and operative on the stream to reduce the total quantity byremoving tobacco bodily therefrom, compressor means operative on thestream to apply lateral pressure to tobacco therein, the said tobaccoremoving device being operative on selected portions of the stream,spaced apart along the length of the stream, to reduce the quantity oftobacco per unit length of said portions substantially to apredetermined quantity smaller than the quantity of tobacco per unitlength of all other portions of the stream occurring between saidselected portions, and the said compressor means being operative toeffect a greater lateral compression and densification of tobacco insaid other portions than of tobacco in said selected portions, whereby atobacco filler is produced containing denser and less dense portions inalternation, and means to deliver said filler containing denser and lessdense portions onto the said paper web for enclosure therein.

10. A continuous rod cigarette making machine, comprising means to forma moving tobacco stream, tobacco removing means to reduce selectivelythe total quantity of tobacco in the stream by removing tobacco bodilytherefrom, the said tobacco removing means being operative on the streamto leave a greater quantity of tobacco per unit length of the stream atregularly spaced positions therealong than between said positions, rodforming means, including means to feed a paper web lengthwise, to shapethe said stream to cigarette rod shape and crosssectional size and towrap the shaped stream in said paper web, thereby forming a continuouswrapped cigarette rod containing denser tobacco portions at said spacedpositions than therebetween, and cutting means to divide the wrapped rodinto lengths, said cutting means being timed to cut the rod throughdenser tobacco portions.

11. A continuous rrd cigarette making machine, comprising means to forma moving stream of tobacco compressor means acting on the stream toeffect lateral compression thereon, and tobacco removing means to reducethe total quantity of tobacco in the stream by bodily removal of tobaccotherefrom, said compressor means being operative to make the tobaccodenser and more compressed at regularly spaced positions along thestream than between said positions, said trimming means being operativeby bodily removal of tobacco to reduce the stream to a smaller quantityof tobacco per unit length of the stream between the said positions thanat the said positions, rod forming means, including means to feed apaper web lengthwise, to shape said stream to cigarette rod shape andcross-sectional size and enclose it in said paper web to form acontinuous cigarette rod containing denser tobacco portions at saidspaced positions than therebetween, and cutting means to divide thewrapped rod into lengths, said cutting means being timed to cut the rodthrough denser tobacco portions.

12. In a tobacco-manipulating machine, apparatus for forming a tobaccofiller having denser portions at predetermined spaced intervals thanelsewhere, comprising means to form a tobacco stream containing moretobacco than is required, conveyor means to convey the said streamendwise,'a trimming device arranged to remove excess tobacco from thestream, and compressor means to compress the trimmed stream laterally tosubstantially uniform cross-section, wherein the said conveyor means andthe said trimming device are arranged in cooperation to provide betweenthem a larger space for tobacco in each of these portions of the streamwhich occur at the said spaced positions, than in those portions of thestream which occur between the said spaced positions, whereby thoseportions of the stream which occur at the said spaced positions have,immediately after trimming, a greater volume of tobacco per unit lengththan do those portions occurring between the said spaced positions.

13. In a tobacco-manipulating machine, apparatus for forming a tobaccofiller having denser portions at predetermined spaced intervals thanelsewhere, comprising means to form a tobacco stream containing moretobacco than is required, conveyor means to convey the said streamendwise, a trimming device arranged to remove excess tobacco from thestream, and compressor means to compress the trimmed stream laterally tosubstantially uniform cross-section, wherein the said trimming deviceand the said conveyor means cooperate to determine the volume of tobaccoper unit length of the stream immediately after trimming, and whereinone of them is recessed to allow a greater volume of tobacco per unitlength to be retained in those portions of the stream which occur at thesaid spaced positions, than in portions which occur between the saidspaced positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS969,992 Smith Sept. 3, 1910 1,721,117 Hopkins July 16, 1929 1,796,522Hopkins Mar. 17, 1931 2,111,672 Molins Mar. 22, 1938 2,432,938 Ruau Dec.16, 1947 2,660,177 Rault Nov. 24, 1953 2,660,178 Rault Nov. 24, 19532,766,758 Molins Oct. 16, 1956

